Bellusso Jewelers Blog

Always wish you could own a piece of Hollywood? Well, this could be your chance, as Bonhams gets ready to auction the jewelry and art that famed writer Jackie Collins kept in her much-loved Beverly Hills home from 1992 until her death in 2015. Collins was an avid collector of fine art, sculpture, jewelry and watches. Portions of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to support the empowerment of young women in the arts and education.

The auction, "Jackie Collins: A Life in Chapters," will take place on May 16 and 17 at Bonhams Los Angeles. Highlights include a 6.04-carat diamond and platinum ring (estimated at $100,000-$150,000), and watches by Patek Philippe, Harry Winston, Chanel and Chopard, among others. There will be 1,000 lots in total.

The British-born star published her first novel, The World is Full of Married Men, in 1968, marking the start of a 47-year writing career. She passed away in 2015 at the age of 77. Like all auctions, this one only reconfirms the fact that watches and jewelry hold their value and, depending on the life you lead, could become nearly priceless.

Greubel Forsey wowed us once again at SIHH 2017 with the $1.4 million Grand Sonnerie — the brand’s first Grande Sonnerie. The remarkable watch, which audibly chimes the time automatically or on demand, was 11 years in the research and development stages. Its elaborate 855-part movement has two patents pending.

It features a specially developed acoustic resonance cage for a pure chiming sound and incorporates cathedral gongs and multiple striking hammers. The watch has multiple striking modes: Grande Sonnerie (strikes the hours, and the quarter hours in passing); Petite Sonnerie (strikes the hours in passing); Silence (to quiet the striking). It also operates as a minute repeater, chiming the hours, quarter hours and minutes on demand.

Also incorporated is the design is the brand’s signature Tourbillon 24 Seconds (an inclined tourbillon escapement to compensate for errors in timekeeping due to the effects of gravity on the watch). To prevent damage to the movement while the watch is in chiming mode, Greubel Forsey master watchmakers have equipped it with 11 security functions. The watch offers 20 hours of power reserve in Grande Sonnerie mode, or 72 hours of chronometric power reserve thanks to two co-axial series-coupled barrels. We invite you in any time to see our collection of superb Greubel Forsey watches.

At SIHH 2017, Vacheron Constantin unveiled the spectacular Metiers d’Art Copernicus Celestial Spheres 2460 RT watch collection. The series features three different dials, but all pay tribute to Renaissance mathematician Nicolas Copernicus. The watch, which bears the Hallmark of Geneva, features a center sun and an outer Earth that rotates around the dial (circling the sun) once every 365.24 days — emulating Earth's true heliocentric rotation around the sun.

The 43mm gold watch is powered by an entirely new movement, the self-winding calibre 2460 RT with 352 parts that was three years in the making. There are three artistic renditions being made: a colorful enamel dial; a hand-engraved dial; and a laser-engraved and hand finished blue Grand Feu Enamel dial. In addition to the center sun and the orbiting Earth, there are distinct lines across the dial meant to illustrate the orbit of the five planets depicted on the dial. The 12 zodiac signs are also portrayed. Each watch is an example of visually stunning art and technical mastery.

The Swiss Federal Council recently approved a partial revision of its "Swiss made" ordinance for watches, effective as of January 1, 2017. The revision strengthens the label requirements for watches and movements and aligns them more with the new "Swissness" legislation that has been updated since its 2013 adoption by the Swiss Parliament.

Any watch bearing the indication "Swiss" or "Swiss made" must be backed by Swiss watchmaking expertise. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, a number of studies have shown that consumers are willing to pay up to 20% more for Swiss watches, in general, and up to 50% more for certain mechanical watches. The revision of the "Swiss made" ordinance for watches is designed to strengthen the link between "Swiss made" watches and Switzerland, and to counter any possible abuse of the label.

The "Swiss made" ordinance for watches fine-tunes the "Swissness" legislation, stating that from here forward at least 60% of the production costs of a finished watch must be Swiss based. At present, only the cost of its movement is taken into account in determining the Swiss origin of a watch. The movement will still enjoy pride of place, however, as Swiss-made components must continue to represent at least 50% of its value, while at least 60% of its production must be generated in Switzerland.

Additionally, the new rules of the "Swiss Made" ordinance state that the technical development of a "Swiss made" watch and movement must be executed in Switzerland.

Valentine's Day — flowers, chocolates, dinner... Yes, these are all great, but now you can give her something even more meaningful: time. We offer a great selection of watches that are perfect for Valentine's Day. Some feature floral-inspired dials, while others actually may have heart motifs on them. Still others declare your love for her with pink or red straps.

No other gift is as timeless and everlasting (like your love) as a fine watch. It tells her you made a special effort to give her something that would remind her of you every time she glances at her wrist.

Not sure what she would like? Afraid it's too late? Just stop in. We can help you find the perfect watch for the one you love and send you on your way with a gift-wrapped box that blends flowers, hearts and romance all in one.

Move over women, pink is not just exclusively for you. Today, especially when it comes to the watch world, some of the hottest luxury watches for men – from sporty to sophisticated and ultra complicated – are crafted in 18-karat pink gold. This is a great thing with Valentine's Day around the corner — it gives you the perfect gift idea.

Rose gold has roots dating back to the Second World War, when steel and white metals were needed for military arms. The jewelry industry added the copper alloy to the gold to use less solid gold, and the result was a super rich rose color that quickly became in high demand. Today, watch brands offer pink or rose gold in varying degrees, with 3N the palest shade, 4N a bit deeper pink, and 5N being the darkest reddest rose gold. While jewelry is also made in rose gold, the color has translated magnificently to watches.

One million counterfeit Swiss watches were confiscated around the globe in 2016, according to statistics released by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. The message to bargain hunters is that they should think twice before plunking down their hard-earned dollars on offers that seem too good to be true. The best protection against buying a fake is to work with an authorized dealer.

The majority of fake watches were seized in China, reports Jean-Daniel Pasche, president of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH), adding that it does not mean other counterfeiting hubs don't exist. For example, 130,000 fakes were seized in Turkey, 70,000 in Dubai and 9,000 in Russia.

The FH has been working diligently to monitor the internet and social media networks for advertisements for fake watches. As a result, more than a million internet ads for fakes were removed last year. Since July 2008, Swiss customs has the right to seize counterfeit goods found on travelers entering the country, and it has been vigilant about doing so.

In 2015, Hong Kong and China accounted for 80% of all intercepted fake goods that had been shipped to Switzerland by mail, and Turkey was the leading destination from which travelers brought fake goods into Switzerland. The FH has also trained authorities to spot fakes in vulnerable spots around the world, including San Francisco, Dubai, London and other cities.

Buying from an authorized retail jeweler has never been more important.

Just last month, the watch world enjoyed its first-of-the-year luxury watch exhibition: Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva. It was a whirlwind show with hundreds of retailers and members of the press converging on the massive Pal Expo site to visit with 30 watch brands that unveiled their newest timepieces — some that were years in the making.

Additionally, around town, a host of other brands took advantage of the throngs of buyers and journalists moving about the city and held their own exhibitions — showcasing at least another dozen watch brands with new wares. Over the coming months we will be bringing you a look at the all-new timepieces unveiled at SIHH — watches that will be making their way to the U.S. market this spring, summer and fall. For now, we present a look at just three of the top trends witnessed during the show that you can expect to see in our store this year.

Complications. Yes, complicated timepieces continue to rear their heads and promise to make a splash on the wrists of the most discerning consumers this year. Many of the new watches being shown are super-complications, such as Grande Sonneries that chime the time automatically, carillons that chime the time using multiple gongs and tones, and watches that offer a chiming reminder. Additionally, tourbillons mixed with functions, such as chronographs and world timers, also make a strong showing.

Calendar and Moon Phase watches. This category is at the top of the list when it comes to offering simple complications that today's wearers can use. The annual calendar and the more complex perpetual calendar are coveted functions that display the day, date, month and phases of the moon — and these watches are definitely making a statement in 2017.

Women's Watches. For the third year running, women's watches are getting their fair share of the attention. Not only are brands that predominantly showcase men's watches showing women's pieces, but also brands known for their women's collections are stepping up the pace, unveiling complicated watches for women — and never forgetting the diamond accents.

It's going to be a great year with innovation and imagination running strong. Keep checking back as we bring you all the news of today's top timepieces and trends.

About the Store

Welcome to Bellusso Jewelers, pure luxury for the discriminating shopper. This romantic terrace-styled row of boutiques is located on the casino level of the Palazzo Hotel, Resort & Casino between the Venetian’s restaurant row and the Palazzo’s grand casino. Sophisticated, elegant and strikingly opulent, Bellusso Jewelers boasts the most stunning array of jewelry and timepieces from some of the most celebrated brand names in the world.